The federal government on Friday adopted an advisory council's recommendations for deep cuts to the 2006 California and Oregon salmon season -- a decision that could bankrupt many fishermen and result in shortages of wild chinook salmon in supermarkets and restaurants.

Typically, the commercial season begins on May 1. Friday's decision will allow fishermen to begin trolling on the traditional date, but only under severe restrictions.

The usually productive waters from San Francisco to central Oregon will be off-limits for commercial fishing throughout most of the season in order to protect stocks of threatened Klamath River salmon.

There are plenty of salmon in the sea, but most are Sacramento River fish. Because Klamath and Sacramento salmon mingle in the ocean, regulators say, restrictions must be imposed when Klamath salmon fall to critical levels -- as they have in recent years.

Commercial fishing in California will be allowed in the Monterey region from Pigeon Point south in May, and will be restricted further beginning in June, when fishing will only be allowed south of Point Sur until July 26.

Commercial fishing will be allowed north to Point Arena after July 26 but will be restricted to 75 fish per boat per week.

A limited trolling season also will be allowed around Fort Bragg in September.

In a news release sent out on Friday afternoon, NOAA Fisheries contended the season represents a 60 percent cut in a "usual" salmon season.

But Grader disputed that analysis. In real terms -- the number of fish trollers can hope to catch, given the various season restrictions -- the 2006 commercial season amounts to a 90 percent cut, he said.

"For much of the season, trollers will be restricted to southern waters, which often don't hold a lot of salmon," Grader said. "If the salmon aren't in the water where the people are allowed to fish -- which is a very real possibility -- it will be tantamount to a complete closure."

Recreational anglers face significant restrictions in the northernmost part of the state, but will be able to fish as usual out of San Francisco area ports.

"For some reason, the data shows that recreational fishermen in the (central state area) have little effect on the Klamath stocks," said Grader. "It isn't clear why -- we need more research."

In Friday's news release, NOAA officials said the 2006 season restrictions will allow 21,000 mature spawning salmon to return to the Klamath instead of the 25,000 fish that are expected.

At least 35,000 returning salmon are considered essential by NOAA regulators for optimum fishery production. Officials noted that Klamath spawner returns have fallen below the 35,000 figure at least 13 times, and have rebounded in subsequent years.

The officials characterized the temporary lowering of the spawner target figure as the best possible compromise that could be made with commercial fishing interests.

"We are acutely aware of the impact this rule has on fisherman and coastal communities, but feel this is a necessary step to ensure the long-term health of the salmon fishery," Rod McInnis, the director of NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Region, said in the news release.

But the fishing community and many environmentalists contend that fishermen are being made to pay for federal mismanagement of the Klamath system. They say the Klamath's salmon collapse is due to excessive water diversion for agriculture along the river.